Colour Cue: Back In Black

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By Terry Edward Briceland • Photography By Stephani Buchman

Always touting the latest trend as the new black, a look at this unbeatable colour in fashion and design.

Society and/or self-professed style mongers love speculating what colour trend will dominate this season and overshadow the ever-popular, always in style shade: black.

Black is timeless, effortless, and it comforts our souls. Whether it’s an all-black outfit when you need to absolutely slay, or that new black ice-cream everyone and their dog has a photo of on Instagram, black is a colour we all know and love and it’s time we embrace that nothing will replace it.

When it comes to decor, black is often overlooked. Of course, no one expects you to deck out your house like an angst-filled teenager who just got upgraded to the basement room in 9th grade. But, consider breaking out of the square mould of “accent” colours and choosing unbeatable black as your go-to shade in decor.

We worked with Nina who had just finished her home and needed a bunch of stuff in it to make it livable–our favourite problem to solve! She wanted something that was outside of the norm, but airy, eclectic, modern, and had a touch of her own unique style. Enter black.

BLACK AS AN ACCENT

Black is a great colour because it goes with anything. Duh. We all know this, and that’s why our closet is full of it. It’s impossible to mess up, however, when it comes to interior design, it does take some thought in order to be done right, so you don’t end up crying with a paintbrush in your hand wondering what you’ve done to your beautiful home.

We used black to play off of the brass gold fixtures, the grey furniture, and bold Andy Warhol-inspired custom-pop artwork of family photos as complementary accents. This ensured black was never overdone and didn’t darken the room. Black accents, such as chairs, lamp covers, and black decor mixed with patterns, helped make it all happen. Artwork plays a huge role in adding diversity to the design, and custom artwork can be found throughout the house. Because hey, when you can’t find the perfect piece, why not make it yourself?

BLACK AS A STATEMENT

One of our favourite pieces is the black candle setting on the dining table. It gives the room an edge, and shows guests that Nina doesn’t mess around. The matte finish complements the brass light fixture and mirrors, while also tying with the finish of the table. The table itself is something that just screams “INVITE PEOPLE OVER TO EAT.” It was a custom teb Interiors table done with concrete and vintage maple extensions and accent legs.

BLACK AND NAVY = A LOVE AFFAIR

Have you noticed the ceiling? Do you love it as much as we do? Hell yeah, you do. We couldn’t resist completing the living room with a navy ceiling. This works thanks to the ceiling height and the white walls. The room as a result is bright, and the colourful artwork just adds a pop of colour and personality. The texture on the ceiling is to die for, and beckoned to be painted. Navy works beautifully with black, it creates an illusion of darkness but has a certain subtleness, so it’s not as sharp.

SO, YES TO BLACK

The navy curtains, alongside the black chairs, table nook, and light fixtures bring the colour throughout the home without overdoing it. When working with a colour that is so bold, it’s important to make sure that it lives in each room in a way that makes sense without going overboard. But never shy away from at least SOME crazy.

tebinteriors.com